What Gauge Nail For Hardwood Flooring

A good rule of thumb for nail length is 1 1 2 inch nails for 1 2 inch thick flooring and 1 3 4 inch nails for 3 4 inch thick flooring but always follow the flooring manufacturer s.

What gauge nail for hardwood flooring. Engineered flooring can be installed above grade at grade and below grade level do not install hardwood flooring in bathrooms. The national wood flooring association guidelines recommend that nails or staples should be spaced between eight and ten inches for solid hardwood strips and planks. Use the specific gauge of nail recommended by the manufacturer.

But when working with hardwood there is a unique and important consideration. Always check with the manufacturer s instructions to determine if your hardwood floor can be installed over an in floor radiant heat system. Through the interchangeable base plates this flooring nailer can penetrate 0 5 to 0 75 inches deep in solid hardwood flooring.

A 16 gauge finish nailer is more than adequate to hold down 5 16 inch hardwood which is the usual thickness of retrofit panels. Use 1 3 4 long cleat nails when installing 3 4 solid wood flooring when 3 4 thick plywood is applied directly over a concrete slab so the cleat nail does not go through the 3 4 thick plywood hitting the concrete. Solid hardwood flooring only can be installed on or above ground level with a plywood subfloor.

For engineered strips and planks the recommended spacing is between four and eight inches. For correct use make sure the tool s nail shoe is well positioned on the tongue angled at about 15 degrees inward and downward as if moving to the plank. A 16 inch gauge for l and t cleats and a 15 5 inch gauge for flooring staples are this pneumatic flooring nailer tends to shoot up.

The two gauges of nails typically used for hardwood floors are 16 and 18 gauge. Hosking hardwood recommends an 8 penny nail which is roughly the equivalent of a 3 inch nail. Use 2 long cleat nails when installing 3 4 solid wood flooring over a wood subfloor with floor joists.

The higher the gauge number the thinner the nail.